Odds against you
by AnotherFanfictionAddict
Summary: You'd think with his parents around that Naruto's life would be better even with the Fox in his gut. Turns out it just creates more problems that Naruto was honestly sick of.


**Another one shot of Naruto being neglected a wee bit. It's another what-if scenario.**

**I do also have other stories - see my Bio!**

**Enjoy.**

-X-

Three dead bodies lay in front of a panting Naruto each with Iwa Headbands. They weren't so cocky now.

_'We've watched you Namikaze and now it's payback for what your old man did to our village...'_

Naruto had managed to kill them because they hadn't known he was the Kyuubi holder the idiot's. They must have been bad spies because it's not as if it wasn't obvious after a day of watching him in Konoha... That was sarcasm.

Unfortunately even with Kurama's help it hadn't meant Naruto hadn't taken a hit.

He'd been ambushed. Apparently they'd been watching him for weeks now and Naruto had known this fact - he'd even told his shitty village's council - that he was being watched. They hadn't believed him.

Honestly, it was bound to happen eventually. Naruto just fucking knew it. After all, he had really shitty luck. He was bound to find enemies outside of Konoha that he'd never met but that he'd somehow managed to piss off.

It was bad enough for Naruto Namikaze that everyone near enough hated his guts in Konoha. Naruto had learned firsthand that the fact that he'd been stuck with the Kyuubi in a village that had been dumped on by the Fox trumped his heritage.

Yeah even with his dad being the Fourth Hokage Naruto was hated. Hell his dad was no different. He barely acknowledged him – at best his dad thought he was a nuisance because of his status as the village Jinchuuriki and at worst Naruto honestly believed the man wished he wasn't born.

His old man's distaste for him had been proven yesterday when Naruto had stormed another one of his father's meetings claiming he'd been watched.

Of course the old bastard's there had scoffed – and his old man had been furious at the second interruption in a week. Minato had even dragged Naruto home to just prove a point about the 'boy who cried wolf' in front of his wife and Naruto's mom.

For the record Naruto's mother wasn't much different either.

'Maybe that's why they took the bastard in...' mused Naruto bleeding out.

The bastard being Sasuke Uchiha; he was Naruto's team mate and officially he was Naruto's adopted brother. He was the Golden Boy of their age group. Sasuke had lost his entire clan to some tragic bullshit involving his older brother. The Kyuubi had said the Uchiha had probably deserved it and Naruto had eventually taken to that to heart.

Honestly Naruto had actually entertained a lot of thoughts about running away or just ending it all. It's not as if he was needed or wanted. Neither was a solution though. The former would just give people a legitimate reason to hunt him down and kill him. The latter he'd realised he couldn't do with Kurama watching over him. He'd tried...

The Fox was why Naruto wasn't struggling back to the village now. Naruto had just decided to lay face first in a growing pool of his own blood.

There was a sudden scream from behind the prone and bloodied blonde.

'Sakura-chan...' thought Naruto, his eyes drooping.

The third member of his Genin team usually did come earliest to training.

-X-

It had been four full days since Naruto was placed in his own room and not once had he moved. The burns his body had sustained were from the Kyuubi's use and they had healed.

The problem had been the poison on the dagger his gut had eaten. It was meant to be fatal.

The only reason it hadn't been was because of the Kyuubi

Still the lack of movement weren't helping ease anyone's worries even if the heart rate monitor showed the blonde's stability. And if Tsunade herself hadn't been the one to oversee Naruto's healing she'd have been just as filled with doubt as Kushina and the rest.

Sighing, Tsunade mentally lectured herself that it was just her worry getting to her. It was no real threat. If he didn't awake within the next week, then she'd freak out.

She had been doing the late night shifts on Naruto herself, though she occasionally supervised the day shifts too. Even though Minato had set up heavy security around the hospital she wasn't at ease...maybe tomorrow she'd go gamble. See how her luck was. Her bad luck would give her an idea if she should really be worried or not.

Looking down at Naruto's expression free face Tsunade smiled sadly and leaned down to kiss Naruto's forehead. She caressed his hair gently but the damning thing was even unconscious Naruto flinched away.

"S'ok Naruto...It's just me." soothed the older blonde.

Naruto seemingly 'hm'd' and Tsunade let out a breath of relief. The kid was still alright...just 'refusing' to wake up. She continued to caress his head a bit longer. This time though Naruto didn't flinch away and almost seemed like he was moving towards the touch.

"Everything's going to be alright." cooed the older blonde.

"Tsunade-sama?" interrupted her apprentice; Shizune from the doorway.

Tsunade didn't even glance over her shoulder as she just kept massaging Naruto's head.

"Hmm?"

Well this was awkward.

"Jiraiya-sama asked me to tell you he wants...um, a date," muttered Shizune scratching one of her cheeks.

'Really...' sighed Tsunade with a shake of her head.

Idiot was probably trying to get her attention without pissing her off.

'I guess I'd better go see what he wants.'

She spared Naruto one last worried glance before walking off.

-X-

Naruto had told her that he felt like he was being watched in the village but Kushina had just tried to play it down saying it was probably ANBU keeping an eye on him.

Sat beside's her son's unconscious form, Kushina had resumed where Tsunade had left off, and she just kept weaving her hand through Naruto's blonde hair gently.

'Why didn't I listen?' thought the women shaking her head in disbelief.

For that matter why the hell hadn't she rushed to Naruto's side the moment she'd found out he'd been hospitalized?

A bitter smile then marred Kushina's face. She hadn't because she just _couldn't_ enter the hospital. Kushina had gotten to the hospital doors and had frozen...

'I can't believe what a coward I've become.' cursed the former kunoichi.

Kushina had faced numerous difficulties in her life.

She'd had to leave her birth home when she'd not even been eight for a reason she'd only learn years later.

She'd been a foreigner in Konoha and had been picked on because of it.

She'd been kidnapped years later only to be saved by the man who'd become her soul mate.

She'd had the Kyuubi sealed in her at the cost of her adoptive mother's life.

She'd lived and fought through the Third Shinobi War.

She'd even been attacked during Naruto's birth.

Yet despite all that she hadn't even been able to face her son when he'd been comatose. What kind of mother did that make her? This was her sweet baby boy.

'...and now look at him...' thought Kushina feeling her throat dry at the sight of her bedridden son.

He's looked so fragile...

...and it was because of her and Minato.

-X-

Sasuke once he finally got a chance to sit alone with Naruto had just watched with unblinking black eyes as Naruto's chest rose and fell. It was clear that his 'brother' was alive and that was all the Uchiha cared about. Still he couldn't help the anger in him – at himself above anyone else.

Naruto had told Sasuke that he felt like he was being watched in the village.

'Quit being such a scaredy cat loser...' is what Sasuke had said and Naruto had stormed off because of it.

Straight into an ambush of three Jonin from Iwa at Team's Seven's training ground.

Still whilst he hadn't been there for Naruto then, he was present when Naruto suddenly moved.

-X-

It was like Naruto had true been held under water when he woke up. He immediately crunched up as if a coil had snapped and took a mouth wide breath of air.

His breaths were short and sharp, and instantly his eyes shot round looking round for where he was.

He was greeted by white walls, white lights, white drapes and white sheets... And Sasuke.

As soon as he'd seen the Uchiha Naruto relaxed and he fell back into his bed.

"You in any pain?" wondered Sasuke immediately moving to Naruto's side.

"I'm fine," replied the blonde now staring at the ceiling.

"You fought off three Jonin..." The Uchiha resisted the urge to call the blonde an idiot because of his own guilt.

"I'm...healing," added the blonde simply before his face scrunched up as he tried to sit back up.

'Crap.' realised Sasuke as he reached out and helped the blonde up.

He'd been ordered to find a nurse the moment there was any change.

-X-

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed as Sakura told him about everything that had happened in the last couple of days. About the whole village being freaked, about how all of the kids in the village were amazed by what he'd done and how people just couldn't stop talking about him.

The blonde didn't really say anything beyond a sincere thank you to Sakura for finding and saving him and an apology to the whole of Team 7 for being tired. Sakura had of course reassured him to not worry. Kakashi didn't say anything aloud but Sasuke saw the way Kakashi and Naruto looked at each other, almost as if talking telepathically. The ease at which the two communicated had always irritated Sasuke.

It was like Naruto and Kakashi were born brothers.

Of course Kushina had sobbed and hugged Naruto the moment she'd found him awake. She'd been oblivious to the way he had tensed in her hold or his lack of a response to anything that she had then asked.

However that did nothing to dampen her attempts.

Later in the evening Kushina wanted to feed Naruto something solid. She had gotten an apple and used a kunai to peal it, cutting it up in slices so it'd be easier for Naruto to eat. She even used a tooth pick to pick it up and feed it to him, but Naruto simply refused to open his mouth.

"Please Naruto-chan. You need to eat... Please? Just a small bite," pleaded the redhead.

Beneath his bed sheet Naruto clenched his fists before he sucked in a shot of air and closed his eyes. Then he finally said his first words all day to his mom.

"Get out..."

He might as well have struck his mom such was the shock on Kushina's face. Eventually after at least a minutes worth of silence Kushina found her voice.

"N-Naruto-chan please..."

Eyes closed Naruto and he repeated what he said just as quietly.

"I said... get out."

He didn't want anything from anyone besides being left alone.

Slowly his neck craned towards a dead silent Kushina. He was biting down on his lip to stop himself saying anything untoward but when his eyes opened the look on his face said plenty.

It was the first time Kushina had ever seen Naruto angry at her.

"Get. Out." repeated the young man a third time visibly straining to get the words out. His eyes had narrowed and Kushina was sure she saw a spark of murderous red in his usually bright blue eyes.

Shaken Kushina rose out of her seat but it was obvious she wasn't comfortable.

"I-I'll just leave this..."

She'd been about to place the apple and tray she'd had on the bedside table before her trembling hands dropped it.

Naruto didn't even acknowledge the clattering on the ground as he turned his head away. He heard his kaasan gasp and he heard her disappear. He even heard his mother's sob as she ran down the hospital's hallway but Naruto just wrinkled his nose.

-X-

Naruto had told him. Naruto had told him and the council countless times. They'd all dismissed it not believing it was possible. Iwa hadn't done a thing to Konoha since the last war so of course they'd gotten lax.

And now when they'd not expected Iwa had moved and it had almost cost Minato his son.

Everyone had felt the burst of Kyuubi's chakra and Sakura – his son's team mate had been the one closest to their Training Ground so she'd gotten to him first.

Minato himself hadn't had the guts to face his son since the incident so he'd simply been protecting him from afar. The Council had already agreed on letting Iwa know there'd be repercussions for their actions and Minato had already gotten an investigation started into how the spies had gotten in the village undetected not to mention he'd had Naruto constantly watched since then by some of his most trusted ANBU. He'd already called Jiraiya as well back to the village.

Honestly he wasn't sure what else he could do?

Sat alone in his office the Fourth Hokage simply let out a long drawn out sigh as he tried to get his head around what had happened. Konoha had been infiltrated and his son had pulled out a minor miracle in killing three Jonin, when Naruto himself was still only a Genin.

It did bring a sense of pride to the Fourth that Naruto was able to protect himself but that was quickly squashed by a single thought.

'You're so proud because you helped him _so _much didn't you?'

Minato bought his hands to his face to try and rub away his wince.

He wasn't allowed to enjoy the relative peace for too long though as his office door suddenly swung open.

Instantly, stormed in his tear stricken wife and of course with all the worry Minato had shouldered a bucket load fear washed over him.

He might as well have leapt over his desk, that was how fast he was holding his wife by her arms.

"What's wrong...?"

Kushina kept her gaze to the ground with her long hair falling over her face.

"He's awake..." She said simply and instantly Minato let out a massive breath of relief. Still though there was a lump in his throat.

"...and how...how is he?"

Even with Tsunade caring for him he was worried.

As if she hadn't heard him Kushina just continued with a murmur.

"He told me to get out..."

Minato hadn't caught it, and a short bitter laugh then came out the red head's mouth...

Naruto was angry. She'd never thought it was possible. Her little Naruto had always just seemed incapable of ever getting angry at anyone especially at her... But he was and there was no escaping that look her son had given her.

It was like he'd wanted to kill her just for being next to him.

Kushina felt her knees wobble at the thought.

"I-I only tried to feed him..." whispered Kushina as she looked down and suddenly she was shaking.

Her body was overcome with wracking sobs.

Minato of course was at a complete loss what to do.

"Kushina..."

"I-I don't understand..." whispered Kushina shaking her head as she tried steadying herself.

Of course Minato didn't understand what was wrong he hadn't seen the look Naruto had shot Kushina or tone in which he'd told her to leave.

Why had her Naruto looked at her like that? Was it because she hadn't believed him? Did he feel betrayed?

Well she wasn't the only one! Suddenly her fists clenched as her anger grew! Sasuke hadn't believed Naruto and neither had Minato. Minato had even lectured Naruto about him 'crying wolf'

Suddenly he was the source of her ire.

"How...how can you _not _care?" growled Kushina suddenly looking up with nothing but fury in her narrowed navy eyes.

Instantly Minato recoiled with a step back

"How can you say that? Of course I care! He's _our_ son!" shot back Minato stung by the accusation.

His defence didn't douse his wife's ire.

"Then why did you let them do those things to our baby!?" growled the red head. "For Kami's sake you spend more time with Sasuke than him! Naruto's our son! He's your heir dattebane!"

Minato wasn't even given a chance to defend himself from the onslaught.

"...and have you even seen him?" muttered Kushina her tone dropping, but her anger still near tangible. "He's been unconscious for a week!"

A whole week...

How was that even possible when Naruto had the Kyuubi and Tsunade helping him unless it was close to being fatal?

"He wouldn't die!" yelled Minato suddenly.

Naruto wouldn't die...he couldn't.

Kushina though suddenly looked up catching Minato off guard with how truly angry she was and she threw a palm, straight Minato's chest forcing him to take a step back.

"But he could have dattebane!" cried Kushina with tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "And in all of that time not once have you visited him! NOT ONE FREAKING TIME! WHY MINATO?! WHY!?"

Of course Minato's voice suddenly rose to match his near hysteric wife's.

"I-I COULDN'T!" he yelled back steadying his footing.

He had a responsibility to the village.

'That's bullshit and you know it.' Added his conscience and Kushina hadn't bought it either.

"Couldn't or wouldn't?!" growled the Namikaze Uzumaki woman meeting her husband's gaze.

She knew Naruto and Minato weren't the closest of father and sons. Anyone could see that.

And Minato knew it too. He'd never spent much time with Naruto. And recently the times he had done he always seemed to just be shouting at his son. It's why he visibly shrank as his shoulder's dropped.

"Couldn't." muttered Minato, through gritted teeth. His head suddenly dropped and he couldn't help shaking it at his own failure.

He had to blink back the tears because he'd tried. Honestly he'd tried to visit Naruto. But every time he'd tried, he'd end up stood in front of Naruto's room just stopping before he'd move forward.

But then as soon as he saw Naruto unconscious, looking near lifeless...

"Every time I see him I think about not being able to protect him..." confessed Minato but there was a deeper problem that went all the way back to the night of the Kyuubi.

When the masked Uchiha had attacked...

He'd been so close to losing Naruto and Kushina.

If it hadn't been for Hiruzen sealing the Kyuubi he'd never have had a chance be watch Naruto grow up.

"THEN GO SEE HIM!" growled Kushina before all her fire just disappeared and her gaze dropped to the ground again. "I'm scared Minato...I-I... Of losing him..."

By the end Kushina's words were nothing but a whisper.

Shakily that seemed to snap Minato awake.

"Y-Yeah..."

Leaving his wife behind, Minato immediately rushed off.

-X-

It was a journey Minato was familiar with from the Hokage Tower to Naruto's room. In the hospital it was always past the reception, stairway on the left, up two sets of stairs and down two hallways with a right turn in between them, past the two ANBU that had been stationed by the door. He'd dismissed them with a look, because he'd wanted some privacy and the two Nin had nodded before disappearing.

Eventually Minato found himself stood in the doorway of Naruto's room like many previous times only his son was awake – albeit his head was turned away.

Bracing himself after a deep breath, Minato went one step further than he'd done previously as he walked in.

-X-

Naruto had known he had enemies in Konoha. Kakashi withstanding there weren't many he could safely say that put up with him. Again having the Kyuubi in his gut trumped his heritage. Apparently though that truth had changed with him fending off three teme's. Hell Sakura said there was a whole host of presents sent to his home...

'That's all it took Naruto. All it took was you almost dying.'

The blonde had seen the wound on the left side of his stomach and it had left a scar at least a couple inches thick and across.

It was because of his rotten luck growing up and paranoia that Naruto knew he'd end up running into someone outside of Konoha that hated him just as stupidly as his home did... and he'd been right.

Turns out though they didn't hate him for the Fox, they were different to the people of Konoha in one sense. They hated him because of who his tousan was.

'At least they didn't hate me for being me.'

Only his parents did that.

Naruto's self analysis was cut short by a 'well speak of the devil' moment. Sensing someone walking into the room Naruto's gaze rolled to the left and upon seeing his dad in the doorway he didn't even blink.

"Naruto..." greeted the man simply, doing his best to hide his nervousness.

All Naruto did was turn his gaze away from the older blonde, back to the room's solitary window and of course Minato flinched.

He'd expected the worst, but still not being acknowledged was worse than being cursed.

"How are you feeling?" began the man taking a tentative step towards Naruto's bed.

He stopped though as soon as Naruto spoke.

"You know they weren't even here for me..." began the younger blonde flatly confusing his dad. "They kept going were here for revenge on your old man... they only wanted to kill me because of you."

"Sorry..." muttered Minato his head bowing. "I..."

With everything that had happened in the last thirteen years in Konoha, Iwa's hatred of him had slipped by the wayside because of their relative inaction.

Minato never even had a chance to say anything else as Naruto continued.

"...and do you know what I did?" continued Naruto his tone still one calm level.

Minato was sure he didn't want to hear what Naruto had to say

A half snort half chuckle slipped from Naruto's lips.

"I laughed when they said I'm your son... I laughed." breathed Naruto and the older Namikaze apologised again.

"I'm sorry Naruto..."

Minato then took another tentative step towards his son but he was stopped once more by Naruto's words.

"I've never even been close to Iwa and I already have enemies there because of _you_..."

On instinct Minato bought an apologetic hand up even though Naruto wouldn't see it.

"I know. Sorry..."

Minato did his best to school his features, but it was obvious even without his experience as a Ninja that Naruto held him responsible for his current state.

Naruto though, was now focused on something else entirely. He wasn't focused on his own condition. No his focus was firmly on how his dad had just addressed him. His stupid old man just had to say that last bit.

Son...

Naruto hadn't been called that by his tousan in years. And just as he had with his mom, Naruto closed his eyes to compose himself.

The same words Kushina had gotten earlier were the ones Minato got there and then.

"Get out..." breathed Naruto freezing Minato whole.

Just as Kushina had found out earlier Minato was taken aback by how angry Naruto sounded despite his volume not raising.

"Naruto please..." pleaded the older blonde his voice close to cracking.

He was about to take another step towards Naruto. If he could just do more he'd be within an arm's reach of his son

"I said get out." repeated Naruto just as softly but just as firmly.

Minato of course tried to deflect his son's words as he took one more step. He'd come too far.

"Y-You don't mean that?"

As if sensing the closeness Naruto's head craned back towards his father, and he shot the man the same furrowed brow, narrow eyed and clenched jaw look that had froze his mother in her place.

It had the same effect on his dad as well.

But Naruto wasn't done. He had something extra for his dad. It was just three simple words that would honestly hurt Minato more than anything he'd felt in his thirty eight years of living.

Just three words of such sincerity and they finally made Minato realise how badly he'd damaged his relationship with his son.

"I hate you." breathed Naruto without blinking and it was like he'd struck his father with a kunai.

And just like that every bit of progress Minato had made disappeared as he stepped back.

Naruto wasn't finished either.

"I want you to get out and go back to being Hokage for your precious village. I want you to get out and go back to training Sasuke. And I want you to get out and stay away from me like you've been doing. Are we clear?"

On instinct Minato did but he'd only registered pieces of what Naruto had said after his most damaging words.

The only thing in his thoughts was that his son hated him.

-X-

Kushina had of course chased Minato after she'd confronted him but she'd given her husband space and simply waited at the end of the hallway upon seeing him go in.

It honestly hadn't taken long for Minato to come out of their son's room and Kushina had at first thought Naruto had fallen asleep and that Minato was coming for her.

There was no urgency in his steps though and his head was down.

Suddenly more worrying thoughts hit Kushina and she rushed towards her husband.

"Mina..."

Minato didn't even acknowledge his wife. He just ghosted right past her because he was lost in his own murmurings.

"He hates me..."

There was an edge of disbelief in his tone.

Hastily Kushina caught up to Minato.

"Minato!"

Grabbing her husband's by his forearms Kushina had to physically act as a barrier.

"Look at me."

He didn't.

"He hates me." murmured Minato looking at nothing in particular ahead of him.

"W-what?" spluttered Kushina thinking she hadn't heard right.

"He said... I. Hate. You." Repeated Minato, tone dead and his look finally fell to his wife who was inches shorter than him. "He hates me Kushina. Naruto... He hates me."

...and just like that Kushina felt another massive hit to her own world.

-X-

_**Yeah this story is actually based on a Yaoi by Luna Knyte of the same name. I'm not bothered by Yaoi. People like what they like.**_

_**It occurred to me how powerful the word 'Hate' is - hopefully Naruto's sincerity comes across.**_

_**Anyway please leave any comments :)**_

_**Also this is only a one-shot - if anyone wants to adopt any of my stories feel free to.**_


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